Javelin Throw Keeps to Roots

Karka 15, 2078, m249

The Pathfinder Sport Athletics Committee (PSAC) has been making strides in defining Martian Track & Field. In their efforts to represent a full compliment of athletic contests in running, jumping and throwing, establishing definitive guidelines from the various ad hoc rules from one settlement to the next hasn’t been straight forward.

This week, progress was made with the javelin throw where the group has made a final decision to ban the use of sling devices.

Developed by enthusiasts in KMH, the devices can provide a mechanical advantage to double the throwing distance. To no surprise, the ruling is controversial among those who regard the slings as a Martian innovation.

“We aim to stay true to the traditions from the past to maintain a sense of continuity in our games, “ says Betika Roarkin of the Pathfinder Group, “We think there is enough going on without augmenting these classic sports.”

Pathfinder Closing Ceremonies

Marineris - Kumbha 1, 2077, m249

Elaine Nguyen (KMH) and Gunvir Pachehra (Europa) take the women's and men's overall title for Pathfinder Marathon 2077.

10 days racing across Valles Marineris came to an end yesterday as the final runners in the women's program comleted Stage 5 and crossed the threshold into Marineris colony.

In a very short period of competition, Pathfinder Marathon has become an interplanetary phenomenon, rivalling the popularity of the Martian Aero Football League among Earth fans.  Virtual sim portals, such as SportzUmbark have lit up with dozens of game titles paying homage to the Martian survival marathon.

Even before the final runners crossed the finish line, signature sponsors Drinqium, Reprogus and AAA Capital Bank had already inked a new deal that would see the expansion of the sporting event.  This led to yesterday's announcement of Pathfinder Sport Athletics Committee  (PSAC).  This newly formed group will not only be responsible for Pathfinder Marathon, but to expand the program.  Aigar Masing, of MAFL fame, has joined the board of directors, adding the marathon to his Mars sport portfolio.

"Pathfinder is another example of how Mars is blossoming,", said Masing, "For decades, Mars has been perceived as a science experiment and strip mine for natural resources, so we are all proud to be evolving beyond those stereotypes; defining our own culture."

Indeed, the marathon has sparked tremendous pride across all the settlements.  Combined with MAFL activities, Marineris was absolutely bursting with excitement and revelry. Pathfinder's Parade of Colonies marched through the colony bringing the festive affair to the thousands of local residents and visitors.

Later that evening, the winners were finally officially recognized, first with awards for individual stage victors.

This was followed by the prestigious Overall Titles.  The overall winners are tabulated on a point system that weighs each stage by difficulty against each challenger's performance (time). A perfect score, winning all 5 stages would result in 10,000 points.

The overall title for women's went to Elaine Nguyen of KMH with a score of 7,032.  Though Geneva Liu and Luisa Murilla took 2 stages each, both had poor results on other stages.  Nguyen's win in Stage 1, the highest difficulty course (accounting for 3000 points), along with strong performances in the other 4, helped her capture the title.  Liu and Murilla ranked 4th and 8th respectively in scoring.

An engineer for the KMH operation by day, Nguyen, downplayed her win, "I still can't believe it.  It's just an honour to be among these brave men and women. Everyone who made the attempt is a hero in my eyes.  Trust me, only 19 of us made it through the entire program."

The men's overall was awarded to Gunvir Pachehra with a total score of 6,343.  A well deserved victory for the 40 year old from Europa who won two critical stages (Noctis Labyrinthus and Melas Chasma) and fought through multiple injuries to avoid disqualification.  

"This has been one of the greatest experiences," said the father of two, "And  tonight, I've been invited to meet with Europa United scouts!"

The momentum from this Pathfinder Marathon 2077 is sure to build as the mantle passes from Marineris.  PSAC closed the ceremonies with an invitation for proposals as they seek the next hosting colony for the next games, to be held in the second half of m249.  Though this may seem like a long time through the lens of a spectator, a half Martian year leaves little preparation time for the next round of hopeful runners.

According to PSAC, "Planning Pathfinder Marathon 2078 started last week."

The Final Stretch

The fifth and final stage of the Pathfinder Marathon starts with a vertical climb out of the Marineris Valley—that’s 13,610 m of pure elevation for our racers. Today, 14 of the original 40 women are left to take on the final stretch. The ascent is treacherous and gruelling for the racers that have spent the last 8 days pushing themselves to the absolute limits physically, mentally and emotionally. 

The climb is led by Geneva Liu (winner of stage 4) followed closely by Elaine Nguyen of KMH.

Halfway up the sheer cliffs of the Melas Chasma, Sara Hampton of San Olympus took a DNF after needing multiple rest breaks on the way. As the distance increased between her position and the main group of runners, the exhausted 35 year-old made the decision to tap out.

A broken ledge near the peak caused Arivalagi to lose her footing. and fracture her wrist as she broke her fall. The 23 year old decided to continue racing after being patched up by a medic drone. “The rest of the course is just straight running. I didn’t come this far just to give up now—I just need to pace myself,” said Arivalagi. 

Racers make the ascent up the cliffs of Melas Chasma.

Luisa Murilla, the winner of Stage 2 and 3, is still hurting from her fall in stage 4. She made her way slowly up the side of the Melas Chasma and pulled herself over the peak triumphantly despite being at the very back of the group. 

Stage 5 continues along the along the edge of the Melas Chasma towards Marineris where racers will cross the finish line. The final stretch of the course offers breathtaking panoramas of the terrain the has been covered in the last week.

Murilla can’t catch a break in this stage as a collision with fellow Europa racer, Reyhan Naghiyeva, left cracks in both of their faceplates. The two women were forced to stop running in order for their helmets to be patched and evaluated. Both were deemed safe to continue by race officials.

Three more racers were unable to finish the race and took DNF’s with Marineris in sight. “I can’t believe I was so close to the finish line, but it’s not worth killing yourself over.” said Mahawal, “Oh well, there’s always next year!” she adds hopefully.

Liu maintained her strong lead throughout the entire stage to arrive first in Marineris amongst thunderous applause with the time of 8h 3m. Nguyen followed 46 minutes after to take second place for Stage 5.

Although Liu has taken the stage, it doesn’t mean she’s won the race. Judges will be evaluating the racers and awarding points for each stage based on their finish times. We’ll find out when the judges hand out the prizes at the awards ceremony—it’s been a thrilling week! Stay tuned.

Men's Marathon Finale

Aquarius 27, 2077, m249

Who would have thought a sport like Pathfinder could ever exist, particularly on a planet where the baseline for survial is already off the charts on the difficulty scale.  Yet, in so many ways, it is fitting that the colonists that already live on the edge, continue to push the threshold, to go that one step farther towards precarious existence.

According to the sources within the immigration council, there has been a 25% increase in applications from Earthers looking to immigrate to the colonies. Could Mars' popularity be directly tied to the risky sports we play, the way we live our lives and how we face adversity?   This is the stuff that makes the population of an entire planet collectively feel pride.

Today, the final stage in the Men's Pathfinder Marathon concluded in epic fashion.  From the pool of 53 men that started 8 days ago, only 18 remained to face Melas Chasma, the deadly vertical ascent and the race along the rim of the canyon toward Marineris.

Alan Sawyer takes Stage 5 for Columbia Hills.

The climb not be merciful and was quick to claim the first victims.

Pylypovych (KMH) withdrew shortly after passing the 1/2 way mark , "I stopped to rest, thinking I would catch my breath.  After 30 minutes sitting on that ledge, I knew I was finished.  It was no longer safe for me to continue."

Carlos Fernandes of San Olympus and favourite Gunvir Pachehra would both fall at the steepest point.  Fernandes would be finished due to a broken hip.  But for Pachehra, it would seem, two cracked ribs on top of his broken wrist wasn't enough to stop him.  He was a man on a mission.

Fredrick Mallette was forced to drop out just metres from reaching topside.   His equipment, taxed over days of competition, started to fail.  With a system failure warning in his EV suit that he was unable to silence, he was disqualified by officials, leaving a battered Pachehra and Samual Gates as the last representatives of Europa.

Even after the punishing climb, the relatively straightforward course that remained continued to weed out the pack.  One by one they succumbed to exhaustion, literally dropping mid-stride.  Nicholas Buruk of KMH who had held 1st position after the ascent and Jason Zhuan, winner at Calydon Fossa, conceded well before the final stretch.

It would be Alan Sawyer who would enter Marineris first.  Upon crossing the threshold into the airlock, Sawyer took Stage 5 with a time of 7 hours and 29 minutes.

Marshall Shannon (HDX) came in second at 7 hours and 51 minutes, followed by Owen Dubad of Marineris 7 minutes later.  Dubad tore off his helmet and called out, "It's good to be home, Marineris!", to the cheering crowd.

Favorite Raihaan El-Morad finished in 7th position while a broken, but jubilated Pachehra successfully crossed the finish line in 8th position, where he was immediately whisked away by a waiting medical vehicle.

Only 19% of the starting pack made it through all 5 stages; a reminder of how incredibly difficult the challenge is.

Final award ceremonies will be held tomorrow evening after the completion of the Women's Stage 5 run.

Liu Steals the Lead in Thrilling Women's Stage 4

Melas Chasma is wide open terrain with little shelter from the harsh wind storms that can blow up at any minute. But today is a beautiful day on Mars—with low winds and great visibility.

Geneva Liu took advantage of that and powered through the Melas Chasma to dominate Stage 4.

The 35 year old had done moderately well thus far and run consistently in the middle of the pack. But today she blazed past all other racers to finish the stage with a 90 minute lead! This has got to be a new record for the Pathfinder Marathon.

Liu celebrates after crossing the finish line.

“This marathon is about strategy as well as physical strength,” said Liu, “You can’t forget that it’s about the long game. it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a single stage and overlook the big picture.” 

Gardner and Naghiyeva clocked in after Liu at 11h 56m and 12h 23m respectively.

---

No stage is without its casualties. And today, marathon front-runner Luisa Murilla took a huge hit.

Murilla underestimated the height of a deceptively small drop-off and a bad landing left her with scrapes and bruises along her left leg and elbows. “The injuries are mostly surface cuts and don’t affect my running. But I lost a lot of time. And you get rattled after a fall like that.” the 24 year old said after a quick checkover by the medic-drones. 

She continued on doggedly, but at a more cautious pace. 

Murilla was able to make her back up the ranks with some well-timed attacks, but was unable to regain top 5.

fatigue hits runners as they toil their way through the melas chasma

Meanwhile Sadhana Adwani of Marineris and Helia Aluwalli of San Olympus both took DNF’s early into Stage 4. Both racers suffered from severe cramps and had to tap out after just 30 km into the course.

Things looked a little touch-and-go for Myriam Snyder of KMH for a while when her running blades cracked. The resourceful 23 year-old was able to repair the blade with supplies she had on hand. “Growing up in a small settlement means you have to be make do with whatever you get,” said Snyder.

The end of Stage 4 leaves us with 14 racers to continue in the fifth and final stage of the 2077 Pathfinder Marathon. 

Pathfinder Medic Operations

Aquarius 24, 2077, m249

Dr. Pan-Onatam heads the Medical Support Team for the Pathfinder Marathon.  

After 7 days of competition in the solar system's most physically demanding sport, it isn't just the runners who get worn down.

The Marathon currently employs more than 40 staff; for every human employee, there are roughly two additional robots, so it takes a significant crew to plan and manage this event.

The busiest of this contingent is arguably the Medical Support Team.  Consisting of 4 members, lead by Dr. Dwayne Pan-Onatam, they are on call 24/7 over the course of the program.  What keeps them busy around the clock isn't just the racing, they play an important cross function for the games. 

"My team's primary role is to provide medical services over the duration of the games," explained Dr. Pan-Onatam, "We are also charged with the responsibility of working with the Anti-Performance Enhancement Tactics Committee (APC).  So, we work alongside our counterparts to monitor and detect possible infractions."

Competitors are outfitted with numerous sensors prior to race-time, including APC issued equipment that actively sample blood, sweat and urine.  Though explicitly not publicized as part of the official game policies, there have allegedly been as many as 3 disqualifications due to some form of unsanctioned performance enhancement.

"These are actually very difficult to detect," according to Dr. Pan-Onatam, "But not because our instruments are not accurate.  Many of the contenders are extremely clever in the technical arts, so they try to beat the system by hacking into either the hardware or the backend. If our analysts suspect any manner of tampering, I deploy a medic-drone to investigate first before sending staff."

But doping and other cheats aren't what keep Dr. Pan-Onatam and organizers awake at night.  Their top concern is the safety and wellbeing of all participants, staff and spectators.  So far there have been 25 reported injuries, most have been minor with challengers opting to defer medical assistance.  The worse cases have included Ben Obalambo's concussion, Hannah Chao's knee injury, and Jamal Carter with a leg fracture.  There have been other scary moments involving collisions, falls, and all manner of wipeouts, but fortunately there haven't been any life threatening incidents.

"Let's face it," said Dr. Pan-Onatam, "It's dangerous out here on so many levels.  There have been almost as many DNFs due to EV Suits failures for radiation as those that have resulted from mental or physical exhaustion.  We've never run a marathon of this scale before, so the next time they ask me, I am going to demand double the medical staff."

Pachehra Owns Stage 4!

Aquarius 24, 2077, m249

Gunvir Pachehra dominates the field, crossing the finish line in 10 hours and 07 minutes, more than an hour and a half ahead of 2nd place Fedir Pylypovych (KMH).

To put his feat into perspective, Pachehra achieved an average running speed of 36 kph over the 360 km course.  The mechanical advantage of modern blades can propel a runner on Mars up to 60 kph in ideal conditions – Note: Melas Chasma was far from ideal today.  

The floor of  Melas Chasma is a combination of rough eroded canyon and fine ash-like particles.  At many points in the race, the runners stirred up so much dust that visibility was severely reduced.  Staying in front may have given Pachehra a critical advantage.

Europa's Pachehra has a lot to smile about.  Today, he wins his second stage, conquering Melas Chasma.

At the 100 km mark, Pachehra slipped after hitting loose debris.  He skidded, fell back onto one arm, but was able to push himself back to a running position.  It was only after the race when examined by medical staff, it was revealed that he had suffered an injury in that incident.  Pachehra had run 260km with a broken wrist.  Though he had overcome adversity to win the stage, it is unclear if he will be able to participate in the final stage on Saturni.   Chasma Rim will require significant climbing before the final sprint to the finish line in Marineris.

Whether he runs stage 5 or not, Pachehra has become a hero across Mars.  Such a physically demanding sport was thought to be for the young, but this year clearly defies that belief.  At 40, Pachehra is not even the oldest runner in contention.  Fellow Europa racer, Mathius Steinback is 53 and came in a respectable 8th today. 

A total of 5 runners withdrew from the course.  Most notable was David Atieno, the only VEX contender.  Vallis Expeditionary Corporation is not only one of the primary sponsors of Pathfinder, it is widely considered the founding settlement of the sport.  

With only 19 runners remaining, they will face the final 240 km along the rim of the Valles Marineris.  

Murilla Triumphs Through the Chaos

24 year old Luisa Murilla holds onto her lead as she heads the pack towards the finish line through the Chaos! 

Day 4 of the Women’s Pathfinder Marathon challenges racers with a steep descent down the Tithonium Chasma and through the canyon systems of the Candor Chasma. The 200 km course takes place over the course of a single day. Athletes will need to navigate their way through unpredictable and cracked terrain appropriately named the Candor Chaos.

Stage 3 marks the halfway point of the entire marathon and racers are starting to run ragged.

Murilla and Kang battled it out at the start of the course as they jostled for first. However, a risky gamble by Kang to jump a rocky gully sent her stumbling. It cost her precious seconds, and the lead. Not only was she unable to regain her position, Kang was quickly overtaken by fellow racers and finished in 11th place.

Sangeeta Mahawal of Amrita gave an impressive performance as the 30 year old came in second. Mahawal had a rocky start—a stretch of loose rubble along her chosen route forced her to forego her running blades. But by the afternoon, Mahawal had caught up to the rest of the racers. "I knew  had to be really aggressive to make up for lost time," she said.

Anya Pande of Europa regained her position in the top 5 after a disappointing run in the Calydon Fossa of stage 2

The Canyon Takes its Toll

Nine racers were eliminated from the running.

Despite running in the top 5 for this stage, Otar Anderson dropped out halfway through the race after a misplaced step sent her careening down the side of a cliff. While she sustained no injuries, the visibly shaken 27 year old decided not to continue the marathon. She said, “I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished in these 4 days—it was an once in a lifetime opportunity for me. And I wish all the other challengers the best of luck!”

A careless step sent Marineris runner Ida Horn crashing to the ground and irreparably cracked her life support pack. Support drones were able to quickly pick her up before she suffered from prolonged exposure to the Martian atmosphere.

Other racers were unable to complete the course due to sheer exhaustion and the end of the day saw 20 challengers left of the original 40.

Men's Stage 3 - Chaos Decimates

Aquarius 23, 2077, m249

The story of the day for the men's heat was simple: They dropped like flies.

This was the 4th day of racing for the men and it was apparent how worn down they had become early in the day.  With the start point at the centre of Tithonium Chasma, the 200 km course across the canyon system into Candor Chaos presented unique challenges for the runners.  Though appearing mostly smooth, the floor of the Chasma is mostly composed of pristine landslide material, making for an unpredictable running surface. 

Segments of the course were too soft for blades.  Racers were often required to dismount and run on foot using poles to keep balance.  All of this extra effort compounding on the already weary pack.

By mid morning, Bavash Yalaran (Marineris) called it quits after 54 km.

Before lunch, Xue Feng Fu and Sam Kashmiri, both from San Olympus, tapped out at 56 km and 58 km respectively.

As the terrain shifted heading into Candor Chaos, Michael Pan (Europa) collapsed at 115 km.  2 km back, upon seeing Pan drop down, Paul Borroni (Novyimir) made the decision to end his race.

Jamal Carter (Columbia Hills), who started with a commanding lead for the first half, maintained a top 5 position through most of the day until an unlucky step caught a blade and his leg snapped as his body twisted around his fixed leg.

This opened up the opportunity for Owen Dubad (Marineris) to take the lead.  Dubad did not let it go to waste.  Pacing himself carefully against Samual Gates (Europa), Dubad was able to hang on to take the Stage.

Behind him, 9 more racers withdrew, calling it quits and conceding to Candor Chaos.  In total, 15 racers did not finish, the largest single drop off in this year's competition.  This leaves 23 runners for the final 2 stages.

"A lot of notable contenders went down today," said Garin Papaviny, former Pathfinder Champion, "Mehrad Shirani and Jamal Carter were favourites from bootcamp that I thought had a chance, but Pathfinder is merciless.  Tomorrow we will see how the women fair against Chaos."

Panchehra (Europa), winner of stage 1, finished in 18th position.  Crowd favourites El-Morad (Al'amal), Rafeeq Afzal (Al'amal), and Marshall Shannon (HDX) survive for Stage 4.

Murilla Sprints to Finish in Calydon Fossa

Runners sprint towards the finish line of Stage 2.

Murilla takes back the lead and finishes first in a breakneck dash for the finish line! 

She attacked aggressively in the last 5km of the race and was able to hold on to her three-second lead all the way to the end. The 24 year old Mars native was born and raised in Europa, and the settlement could not be prouder.

She said, “The last 3 kilometers was crazy for me! I knew I had a half a kilometer burst of full-out sprinting left in me and I just used that to get the lead. I just attacked with everything. After that focused all my energy into keeping it. That’s the only thing I had on my mind.”

Strong winds battered challengers as they approached the mouth of the valley, reducing visibility at times as clouds of dust were kicked up. San Olympus challenger Lauren Maikini lost her position as in second place and dropped to sixth.

Otar Anderson of Amrita crept up from fourth place and came in second, a few seconds after Murilla. Third place went to Jaslene Gardner, the 46 year old challenger from Mareotis.

Stage 2 of the Women’s Pathfinder Marathon wrapped up today at 18:42—runners have been out on the field for over 11 hours and will be taking a well-deserved break before the Marathon continues.

Women's Stage 2 Runs Today

07:00 And we're off to the races!

Stage 2 of the Women’s Marathon started out strong on a clear Solis morning.  The route takes runners in a seemingly straightforward path through the Calydon Fossa. But as evidenced but the men’s race two days prior, injuries await the careless in this rubble-filled terrain

With runners closely packed, positions change quickly and constantly in this first leg. But Luisa Murilla of Europa has established a clear lead early on in this race. Murilla had placed in the bottom half of runners for Stage 1 and seems determined to redeem her performance with an impressive sprint out of the starting gate.

Tight on the heels of the 24 year old Murilla is San Olympus challenger, Lauren Maikini. Jen Kang of Chariton trails only a few seconds behind Maikini.

Kang is the sole challenger from the remote mining facility of Chariton. She seems as scrappy as the small but quickly growing settlement and is definitely out to prove something.

Despite some early troubles with her running blade, Katarina Sundqvist was able to quickly make up for lost time and by mid-morning had caught up with the leading pack and is currently running in sixth place.

---

13:30 Half Day Check-In

Noon finds the runners have fallen into a line as the forerunners maintain their lead. Endurance is the name of the game now as challengers have long hit their stride and are just focused on maintaining their position. 

Maikini (San Olympus) and Murilla (Europa) are neck and neck now as they lead the pack with only a third of the course left to finish.

Meanwhile, Ze Xian Zhou of Tiangong has covered tremendous ground in the last 2 hours and has moved from her starting positions of 16th to be in the top 10. Winner of stage 1, Elaine Nguyen had a slow start in the Calydon Fossa, but has steadily made her way to the top ten as well.

Mechanical issues have plagued the challengers and Sundqvist and Cordeiro have dropped from the top 10 to the latter half of the group. A malfunctioning helmet lock-seal forced a third challenger, Julie Ferreira of San Olympus to drop out of the race half-way.

“Am I disappointed? Or course!” said Ferreira,”I know I could have gone so much further. But in a race like this, a runner is only as good as her equipment.” 

The terrain has taken its toll as well. 3 challengers have dropped out so far and have been shuttled back to Marineris to recuperate.

Men's Stage 2 - Calydon Fossa

Aquarius 22, 2077, m24

Heavy winds delayed yesterday's  start for the men's Stage 2 race.  Runners waited impatiently in a staging vehicle before the winds died down and officials were able to give the all-clear to race at Calydon Fossa.

The course:  a 250 km track along the long shallow depression, ending with a climb up the plateau to the middle of Lus Chasma.  Though it is a much smoother terrain with a designated path, wind and inconsistent surface conditions increased the difficulty of this otherwise straightforward stage.

All 45 runners dawned their blades for the challenge and made a clean, fast start from the gate at 10:30.

Based on pre-race trials, Thomas Pederson (Tiangong), Evan Silva (Marineris), Samual Gates (Eurpoa), and Hakim Ramsey (Marineris) rank as the strongest endurance runners, but fresh off the momentum of Noctis Labyrinthus, Pachehra (Europa), Shannon (HDX) and El-Morad (Al'amal) took the early lead.

Shortly after checkpoint 3 at 75 km, Daniel Kwan (Marineris) lost balance from a gust of wind and crashed into fellow Marineris runner, Clayton Mitchell.  The two tumbled to the ground as others quickly manoeuvred around or over them. Both men were uninjured, but a frustrated Mitchell walked off and did not return to the race.  Kwan did resume running, however, after 1 km, he too withdrew from the race, claiming he had hit the wall.

El-Morad (Al'amal), Pederson (Tiangong), Pylpoovych (KHM) and Zhuan (Haucheng) gained distance from the main pack.  Zhuan held a narrow lead in 1st position at checkpoint 5.

On multiple occasions, strong headwinds forced runners to stop.  For some, this was a welcome unscheduled break.

By the halfway point, Evan Silva had taken the lead and Stage 1 winner, Pandehra (Europa) was able to manoeuvre into 2nd position. 

Rura Misra (San Olympus) withdrew at the 157 km mark suffering from cramps.

Jason Zhuan of Haucheng takes Stage 2.

In the  final 25 km of the race,  Zhaun had a second wind, fighting back from 4th potion to take Stage 2  a time of 8 hours, 8 minutes.

Panderha held on for second with  Rafeeq Afzal (Al'amal) at his heals crossing the line just 15 seconds after.  Afzal, who came in last on the Noctis Labyrinthus course expressed surprise at his own performance.

"This is an incredible result for me," Afzal said, "It's hard to gauge your chances when you barely survive the first round, so this is a huge confidence-builder for Stage 3."

The last stretch heading into Lus Chasma claimed the most casualties on the course, including frontrunner Evan Silva who collapsed from exhaustion midway through his ascent.  Thomas Pedersen who was in the top 10 for much of the race also had to withdraw when one of his blades broke at the 228 km mark.   A total of 9 runners were scratched when all was said and done, leaving 38 competitors for Stage 3.

Day-2 Women - KMH Takes the Stage!

Aquarius 21, 2077, m249

Elaine NGuyen of KMH final approach to the Stage 1 finish line.

The rugged and unforgiving terrain of Noctis Labyrinthus is a daunting, high difficultly stage.  The landscape is heavily fractured with variable elevations, rubble, and steep-walled valleys that force runners to stay alert at all times.  Another challenge is the course has no pre-determined routes; the rules forbid navigational assist from all forms of mGPS, auto-compass, or aerial feed from drones, so runners are left to their own devices to make their way out of the labyrinth.

The Women's race resumed on schedule at 7:30 to a sluggish group.  Runners' sleep was disrupted by strong, howling winds that lasted much of the night.  This was harder on  those with soft inflatable habs versus those with integrated sleeping capsules in support vehicles, but either way, it took a tool on all of them.

Though it was a slower morning, the pace picked up by afternoon as competitors step up to push for the finish line.  Clearly, no one wanted to spend another night on the course.

Philips who fought her way to #1 position yesterday, was unable to maintain her lead slowly fell back as a new leading pack formed including Nguyen (KMH), Pande (Europa), Fan (Europa), and Gardner (Mareotis).

By Checkpoint 13, the leading pack was off the Men's pace by only 16 minutes.

Unlike the Men's run, where the track was untouched, many of the racers took advantage of the tracks left behind by prior runners, allowing the the trailing pack to close the gap with the leaders.  this resulted in a log jam at the final ascension and an exciting foot race to the finish line.

In a neck-and-neck running race at the final stretch, Elaine Nguyen of KMH and the two Europa runners, Anya Pande and Gui Ying Fan battled fatigue as they sprinted toward the finish line.

Nguyen crossed the line at 17:24 with an combined elapse time of 19:22:02.  This was 37 minutes behind Pachehra's time of 18:45:45.

Nguyen embraced her husband/coach, Gabriel Ilionescu, who was waiting with KMH flag in-hand.

"I want to thank all of my supporters," Nguyen said, "My family and KMH for making it possible for me to get the training hours in between work.  I know this is only the first course, but it is such a huge personal victory for me to win a stage.  Thank you so much."

Unlike the Men's race, there were no voluntary drop-outs, however, Hannah Chao (Haucheng) did not complete after an knee injury on Day-1 and the 10 hour Countdown disqualified Noor Panghal (Amrita) and Tanya Buchalska (San Olympus).

After the race, a disappointed Buchalska said, "I only had less than 7% of the course to go.  I'm not a strong climber, but I think what really cost me was lack of sleep."

Women's Stage 2 takes place on Aquarius 23rd where the remaining 37 will tackle the Calydon Fossa challenge, a 250 km running race.

Day-1 Women

Aquarius 20, 2077, m249

With the start lights and broadcast of the starting gun, the first official Women’s program began for the Pathfinder Marathon.

In the prior years with only 4 nomadic settlements participating, there were never more than 25 runners in the mixed gender race; and even then, the contest was dominantly men.

Though there has been controversy over the decision to have separate races, it was welcome news to many would-be runners.

“I’m proud to be running in the first Women’s challenge.”, Elaine Nguyen of KMH said, “I’ve raced in the last two Pathfinders and I don’t get the problem.  The rules are quite open for non-binary too; Adriana Wojick would have easily decided to compete in the Men’s program if she wanted.”

Pathfinder Officials have stated that there could be mixed challenges in the future, so this year is a bit of an experiment with respect to the mainstream promotion and Mars-Earth sponsorships.

“Our vision of Pathfinder is to branch out,” said Dr. Whyll Hokosan, chairman of the Pathfinder Marathon Organization (PMO), “Building on the tradition of Pathfinders of the past, we aim to showcase survival, track and field in an inclusive manner.  This is a new chapter for the sporting event and we will make this as big as significant as the MAFL or the Earth Olympics”

Based on the data, the start of the Women’s race had lower engagement than the Men’s, but by late afternoon, there was twice the audience; consistent for both Mars and Earth.

Day-1 Women's Stage 1

Sara Hampton (San Olympus) took an early lead straight out of the gate, but 40 minutes into the race, she took a terrible spill.  She lost the lead, but after calling in her drone for supplies and  taping up her left ankle, she pressed on.

Unlike the Men’s race, where the pack broke apart very early, the Women stayed together far longer.  It wasn’t until after the 3rd checkpoint when the terrain forced the group to split.

Hannah Chao (Huacheng) was the first casualty to Noctis Labryinthus.  Misjudging the distance of a chasm, her jump was shy and she clipped her leg sending her tumbling.  In addition to a badly bruised knee, her suit suffered enough damage to disqualify her.

Europa made another strong display in today's race.  Gui Ying Fan and Anya Pande stayed in close proximity to each other, often swapping between 3rd and 4th position.  

Elaine Nguyen  (KMH) was in good form and held 1st position through the late afternoon.  It wasn’t until she started to show signs of fatigue that Yasmina Philips (Marineris) made her move.  In the final two hours of race-time, Phillips had worked a 5 km lead.

By the ‘stand down’ announcement at 19:30, Phillips was just 18 km behind Marshall Shannon’s (HDX) position just two day before in the Men's run.

There are 74 km ahead of Phillips to the finish and 55 km between her and the last position runner, Jasinder Lutsenko (Novymir).  

The day closes with a strong pack ready to conquer Stage 1.

Men's Stage 1 Concludes

Aquarius 20, 2077, m249

Ben Obalambo of Amrita suffer concussion with only 17 km left in the course.  Obalambo withdrew and was transported to Marineris for medical attention.

9 hours after Europa’s Pachehra crossed the finish line, the final runners completed Stage 1.

It was a gruelling finish that took a toll, claiming 6 of the 53 runners.  

Wei De Cheung was the first to tap out at the 80% mark.  Cheung was rated highly after pre-testing, but the course got the better of him and he called in his support vehicle shortly after 18:45.

“I’m disappointed,” Cheung said after returning to the mobile village, “I was too far behind.  The idea of tracking through the course in the dark was too daunting for me.  I hate to blame my gear, but I it wouldn’t have been safe to make the journey with what I had.”

At 21, Cheung vows to return next year, however, unless he is able to independently finance, he will find it difficult to find sponsors after dropping out so early from this race.

Man down

Ben Obalambo was the only runner to drop out due to injury.  After what appeared to be a harmless fall, Obalambo called in medic support shortly after complaining of dizziness.  He was transported back to Marineris for observation.  With Obalambo out, Amrita has only one remaining racer, Rafeeq Afzal, who cut it tight to beat the clock before disqualification.

Last but not least

Afzal  was the last to cross the finish line at 24:49, officially completing on day 2 and with barely an hour remaining on the countdown clock.   He came in with hands in the air, to applause from the support staff.  You would never have known he was in last position.

“This is huge moment for me,” the 20 year old exclaimed, “There were moments I didn’t think my equipment would hold up, but I promised myself I was not going to be eliminated tonight.”

With the Men’s course cleared, Stage 1 was prepped for the Women’s program by ground crews.  Three locations were flagged out of safety concerns identified from the Men’s run.  The Women’s run begins tomorrow morning at 9:30 until mandatory rest period at 19:30.

For the Men, Stage 2 begins in the afternoon of Saturni.

Day 2 - Pachehra Takes Stage

Aquarius 20, 2077, m249

Pachehra of Europa takes Noctis Labyrinthus beating 52 runners in Stage 1.

This afternoon, Gunvir Pachehra was the first cross the Stage 1 finish line.

From 5th position this morning, more than 3 km behind HDX’s Marshall Shannon, Pachehra was able to make his move over the ascension leg of the course.  His strength in climbing helped him closed the gap, passing Jarmal Carter (Columbia Hills), Marshall Shannon (HDX), and Owen Dubad (Marineris).  When he emerged from the valley, he was 6 minutes behind the leader, Raihaan El-Morad (Al’amal). 

El-Morad’s fate, however was sealed in the early morning hours when he decided to forego his running blades and leave them behind in his support vehicle. 

Once Pachehra strapped on his  blades, he was easily able to overtake El-Morad, beating him to the finish line by 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

This was a tremendous feat by the 40 year old Europa resident.  For the first half day, Pachehra was in the top 20 group, but by the end of yesterday he had edged up to 5th position.  

Pachehra’s actual path measured 185 km against the optimal computer model of 150 km.  His total elapse time was 18 hours, 45 minutes, and 45 seconds with an average speed was 9.9 kph. 

Once Pachehra cross the line,  the race automatically switched to the Countdown mode. This means all remaining runners have 10 hours to cross the finish line or face disqualification.  In this mode, the mandatory down-period is lifted, racers are expected to race through the night and do whatever it takes complete the stage.

At the time of this report, 18 racers remained on the course.  More than half a dozen with 70 km or more to reach the checkpoint.

Day 2 - Pre-race

Aquarius 19, 2077, m249

The sun has only begun to rise, but in the valleys of Noctis Labryinthus, it is dark.  It is still hours away from the race resuming for Day 2 competition, but most of the runners are already awake.

For most of these athletes, last night was the first time they had experienced sleeping in the great and dangerous outdoors.  After an intensive first day of navigating through and over the punishing terrain , we wanted to get a snapshot of what was going through some of their minds.

Rafeeq Afzal - 3rd position

• Age: 30
• Resident of Al'amal
• Birthplace: Earth
• Occupation: Engineer

What did you think of your first day?

It was absolutely exhilarating and terrifying.  It is familiar from the simulations, but at the same time, you can know and feel the difference.  When you fall, the way the dirt moves and you can sense the coldness.  I am acutely aware of the danger and I used this yesterday to stay focused.  I feel confident this morning and am going to use the same strategy.

How was your post race? 

Honestly, I was so exhausted.  Once my support vehicle arrived, I couldn't wait to set up the mobile hab just to get out of the EV suit and collapse.  That is why this morning is a busy one to go through all my checklists and inspect all of my equipment.

What is your objective for the day?

I plan on crossing that finish early afternoon.  At the end of each stage, we get to stay in a mobile facility until the next stage.  The sooner I can get this stage completed, the more time I have to reset for the next stage.  A shower would be nice.  A decent meal would be nicer.

Jonathan Himona - 28th position

• Age: 21
• Resident of Wendland
• Birthplace: Mars
• Occupation: Student

How do you feel the race is going for you?

I am in a tough spot.  I'm definitely in the middle of the pack, so a good 12km behind Shannon at this point.  I had a lot of difficulty with picking my routes yesterday, so I lost a lot of time doubling back.

You're one of the few contestants to have included exo-training.  Did your training include camping outdoors over night?

Yes, I did. I interviewed former runners and learned that sleep deprivation was a serious factor, so I did apply for permits to train and actually get used spending time in my support vehicle.  I think it paid off.  I was out like a light last night and now I'm ready to run.

Mathias Steinback - 19th position

• Age: 53
• Resident of Europa
• Birthplace: Earth
• Occupation: Education Programmer

How do you feel after your first day of racing?

It was more intense than what I was expecting.  about 2 hours in, I actually started to have doubts, but I eased off and found a pace that worked well for me.  I also think getting to higher ground helped me quite a bit.   Back on Earth, I enjoyed rock climbing, but doing it here is unbelievable.  I feel like I'm doing the impossible.

You are the oldest challenger in this year's Men's group.  How do you feel you are doing?

I don't think my age is a negative.  There are a lot of wealthy kids out here with fancy equipment and full-time coaches.  I would like to think that life experience and wisdom will play a part in getting me through this.  I set a goal for myself to complete all 5 stages... this is truly the most intimate Mars tourism experience anyone can have, so I plan to enjoy it.

Race Day - Men's Stage 1

Aquarius 18, 2077, m249

Men's Day 1 - Stage 1 - Noctis Labryinthus

Pathfinder Marathon officially began this morning with the men’s stage 1 challenge.

Over 200 spectators composed of friends, family, and media braved the journey from Mariners to the remote starting line at the western edge of Noctis Labyrinthus to cheer on the runners. 

53 men representing the top contenders from the 278 original hopefuls that sought the opportunity to pit themselves against Mars.  Having undergone 4 intensive rounds of screening and performance evaluations, today was when all the preparation suddenly became real. It was time to run.

Surprisingly, only a handful of Pathfinder alumni made it to this year’s race.  The marathon was born on the fringe, an exclusive sport to the nomadic settlements of VEX, HDX, RSX, and KMH. Yet this year, many of their hopefuls washed out in screening. VEX, who has produced the most champions in the sport's history, has only one representative, David Atieno.   Nicholas Buruk of KMH is the most experienced racer overall, having taken 3rd place in 2076 (m248).

Though runners like Buruk may have some advantage over other competitors, Pathfinder is far from a predictable sport. 

Officials estimate this 150km stage to take anywhere from 1 to 2 sols to complete.  The rough terrain and variable elevations present extensive options for  “finding the path” to the stage’s finish line.

From the starting line, it was clear that most runners were anticipating a lot of climbing.  The few that dawned their racing blades took the early lead, knowing that they would eventually need to dismount and carry the equipment for the remainder of the day.

According to Garin Papaviny, “The rough terrain increases the chances of breaking a blade.  Damaging running equipment this early would spells disaster as there is no way to compete in the running stages that come later.”

By mid afternoon, the pack had dispersed into numerous paths, but the leading pack consistent of Antony Wahlgren (Novyimir), Marshall Shannon, Hugo Kopperud (Novyimir) and Owen Dubad (Mariners).

Wahlgren later lost ground after making a poor decision that left him at a dead end.  Similarly, Kopperud required an extended break that saw him drop to 13th.

By 20:30, after 10 hours of competition, racers were instructed to rendezvous with their support vehicle to set camp as race-day 1 officially closed.  Runners made camp to take on calories and recuperate for the race to recommence at 7:30.

Top 3

•  Marshall Shannon (HDX)
• Owen Dubad (Marineris)
•  Raihaan El-Morad (Al'amal) 

Shannon leads the pack with only 56 km remaining between himself and the stage finish line.  There is more then 40 km between him and the last place runners, Mitchell (Marineris) and Samaan (Tiangong).

Marineris favorite, Dubad, is in number 2 position less than 1 km behind Shannon.  Dubad had taken the gamble to run with blades from the start of the race, a strategy that didn’t work  for others who failed to maintain the early lead.

“All things considered, I feel pretty strong,” Dubad said, “If we were allowed to keep racing, I would, but I’ve got a good 2 hours of work to get my gear ready for tomorrow.  I’m going to descend to a lower elevation in the morning and try to close the gap with Marshall.”

All 53 runners are still in the race.  It only take a wrong turn in the labyrinth to change the game, so it is still anyone’s race.

Coverage will continue tomorrow!

Pathfinder Bootcamp

Lunae, Makara 23, 2077, m249

This week marks the wrap up of the final bootcamp for Pathfinder hopefuls.

Organizers have finally shared the numbers for applicants hoping to compete in this year's ultra-marathon, but specific racers have not been announced.  According to statements released today,  across all of the colonies and facilities, more than 450 individuals have applied for a chance to race.

Pathfinder is likely the most intense contest of physical and mental endurance in the solar system, so the vetting of racers is not taking lightly.  

"Most applicants are scratch well before the medical reviews.", said Ronnie Suleo, a marketing spokesperson for Pathfinder, "There is a significant financial requirement and technical requirement that many hopefuls just cannot meet.  These are the gates to pass to become a candidate for the physical and mental vetting."

Even after passing the preliminaries, applicants must pass the training and bootcamp program.  With the last bootcamp coming to a close, all applicants will be anxiously waiting for the official posting of the 2077 Pathfinder Marathon contenders, which is expected to before Martis, Aquarius the 3rd, in less than a week.

Washing out - Most of the applicants fail the rigorous bootcamp training program and are sent home.

Some analysts are expecting the Men's lineup will end up around 50 racers or more, which would be more than double of prior years.  Others don't think that is possible, not to mention safe.

According to Garin Papaviny, last year's Pathfinder winner, "I don't think many people realize what it takes to survive this race.  It pushes you to the edge in almost every way.  I've been born and bred in VEX Co, so I live the outdoors.  Just because so many colonists want to challenge themselves this year doesn't mean they can make the cut."

Papaviny won't be racing this year.  He is part of the Pathfinder organizers and is providing his expertise as a consultant.  He has been an integral part planning stages, including scouting and designing this year's course through Valle Marineris.

More updates coming soon as Pathfinder Marathon is just 3 weeks away!

Earth to Mars: We like it!

Southern New York -  October 15, 2077
Earth-World Associated Press

Earth and Mars Images courtesy NASA

It was an affirming communiqué for the MAFL.

It took little time for Aiger Masing to share news with the owners, media outlets and fan channels across Mars:  "They [Earth] love the MAFL!" 

It's no secret, the league is fuelled on dreams and the deep pockets of bored Martian investors.  How else can a measly Martian population, with less human traffic than the average New Manhattan skyscraper, financially support a professional league on a planet that is barely habitable?

The launch of a professional Martian sports league wasn't of particular interest here at the time... after all, aside from the retro-novelty of it, most kids have created and played in dozens of virtual pro leagues.  But somehow, beyond expectation, the Martian Aero Football League has caught the attention of a growing audience and notable brands. 

"I think the sport communities in the East Americas were the first to support their Martian counterparts," said Martin Ge-Macuire Wong of the NYE-Sport-Association, "Our clubs and members were estatic to hear about an all-natural, minimally augmented, intramural league come to life.  The effort they are making is admirable considering it would have cost them next to nothing to built it on-top of SportzUmbark or one of the other D6X (deep sensory experience) platforms."

With a group led by Empire AAA Captial Bank looking to invest in the MAFL and mega corporations like Drinqium seeking licensing rights, Masing's little experiment has suddenly become a "little-league-that-could".

Some are calling it a sport revival; and with natural sports having been in decline for many years, it isn't altogether surprising it didn't happen here on Earth.

"It's kind of a voluntary prison camp up there.", says Wayne Koretzk, curator of the Sport Archive Museum, "They live without many of the things we take for granted.  I believe that their pace of life has given them a fresh perspective on many things, including sports."

According to reports, Drinqium has been vetting no less than 6 different Martian organizations that intend to launch new professional sports.  These include games with familiar roots, like Hockey, Basketball and Rugby, but also a few that can only be played in 1/3 g – Has anyone heard of Spiro-flow?

Drinqium, in association with Marineris colony, has already announced sponsorship to this year's Pathfinder race , a little known ultra-survivor-marathon that was born out of the explorer and nomadic development companies that prospect the farthest reaches of Mars. It certainly won't be a back-water event anymore; some are already comparing it to the classic era of the Tour de France.

Pathfinder Marathon pits individual athletes against the vast terrain of Mars.  This year's race traverses Valles Marineris in a mind-boggling 5 stage, 1200 KM course.  Pathfinder Marathon runs on the Martian month of Aquarius, our Mid-November.

With growing interest here on Earth, sports on Mars isn't just a romantic fantasy anymore.  You can be sure other businesses will be looking to capitalize on this new import.  The potential revenue and sponsor dollars from Earth will only accelerate sports on the red planet, so it is certain that this landscape will evolve very quickly.  

Aiger Masing, "It's fitting that sports will reconnect a new generation to their counterparts here on Mars."